


My Wily Old Serpent

by Ghostinthehouse



Series: Demon and Angel Professors [65]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Professors, Disabled Crowley (Good Omens), M/M, Other, Pet Names
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:02:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23282224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghostinthehouse/pseuds/Ghostinthehouse
Summary: "I need to ask you something," Anathema told Anthony. "Both of you, if possible. And - it's rather complicated."
Relationships: Aziraphale & Anathema Device, Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley & Anathema Device
Series: Demon and Angel Professors [65]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1412962
Comments: 65
Kudos: 1207
Collections: Aspec-friendly Good Omens





	My Wily Old Serpent

"I need to ask you something," Anathema told Anthony, having accidentally-on-purpose run into him in the corridors. "Both of you, if possible. And - it's rather complicated."

He gave her a sideways look, head barely turning. "Not here then. Work or social?"

"Work. Not immediately urgent, but - soon."

He checked his watch. "Between us, we're teaching all afternoon. Greenhouse, after lessons finish?"

Anathema considered that, running over her own schedule in her mind. "That would work."

"Right. Until then, then."

***

When she finally reached the greenhouse, she found Anthony stretched out on one bench with an arm over his (sunglasses hidden) eyes, while Aziraphale read on the bench opposite him and a cold autumn rain pattered against the glass overhead. She hesitated, almost not wanting to disturb their togetherness, even though she'd asked for this.

Anthony growled without moving, "Oh stop hovering. What did you want?" A tightness about his mouth suggested he was in pain, but he sounded the same as ever.

Aziraphale looked up at Anthony's words and set his book aside, making space on his bench for her.

Anathema took a breath, and a seat, and said, "I want to run a lesson for my History students about bias affecting sources and I-"

"Heh, you want to use us as examples?" Anthony interrupting, cutting straight to the point.

"Well, yes, and the rumours around you. If that's ok with you? I brought examples." She rummaged out the paper she'd scrawled on and offered it from one to the other.

Anthony still didn't move, just asked, "Angel?"

Aziraphale took the paper and read it out, an wickedly amused smile curling his soft mouth as he got down the list.

"Each of these sources describes a person. Decide how many people are being described in total.

Source 1. Sweet, soft, cherubic

Source 2. Kind, patient, thorough

Source 3. Angel, guardian, protective

Source 4. Evil, vicious, wicked

Source 5. Bastard, avenging angel, defender

Source 6. Wily, deceptive, prankster

Source 7. Strong, deceptive, prankster

Source 8. Vengeful, protective, watchful."

Anthony's mouth took on an almost identical smile as he listened. "Do you want us to actually turn up and tell them how wrong they are?"

Anathema's mouth dropped open, because that was a step further than even she had considered.

Anthony went on, "We haven't pointed out that we're married yet, they're too busy trying to work out who is the wily old serpent, and who the bastard."

Aziraphale actually snickered, but his tone was very tender when he said, "My wily old serpent has a point."

"Bastard," Anthony sighed fondly, and finally sat up, moving so slowly and stiffly that Anathema winced in sympathy.

"Wily old serpent?" she repeated.

Crowley turned his head and touched a finger to the snake tattoo in front of his ear. "Refers to this. Now, where were we? Oh, yes, plotting."

***

A few weeks later, Anathema hands out the finished source sheets and sets her class to work. The students dive eagerly into the task, and a rising cacophony of discussion fills the air. A few hold out that it's eight different people. A handful think that it's a trick and all the sources describe a single person. Others insist that that can't be possible, no-one is going to mistake source 4 and source 2 as the same person. Obviously, sources 1 and 2 are the same person, just as 4 and 5 are the same, seen from the differing views of the attacked and the defended. 6 and 7 are clearly the same prankster.

Anathema lets them argue for a while and then makes a point of how hard it is to tell what a person is really like from a single source. While multiple sources may conflict, the overlap will show where the bias most probably lies, because everyone has a bias of their own.

That, of course, brings a chorus of denial.

She smiles. "Would you like to meet the people being described?"

The answer is a resounding yes.


End file.
